Will 3LC DVD's work in my country?

All our DVD's are multi region disc's and work in all NTSC and PAL DVD Players

Who are these training sessions aimed at?

Anyone and everyone can use these training sessions. As long as you are reasonably fit, you can benefit from all of our sessions. Check with your doctor if you’re in any doubt.

Tell us more about threshold

What we require is some kind of common denominator or a key training element that fits all - this is your sustainable power lactate threshold.

Put simply, imagine you and your friend are riding a sportive together - last one to the finish gets the drinks in! Let’s say your maximum sustainable power output is 280 watts and your friend’s is 250 watts. You're on the last long climb of your ride and you're both riding next to each other at 260 watts. You will be riding under your threshold and still able to hold bit of a conversation. Your friend, however, will be over their threshold - legs burning, unable to chat, about to pop - and will soon get dropped. That’s when you ride away!

How to use 3LC Training Sessions

Watch as Tim and Steve show you how to use a 3LC Training Session.

Why does 3LC use cadence and not power or watts?

Anyone can produce impressive figures over a matter of seconds, but the person who has a high lactate threshold and can sustain high power figures over a period of time will be first over a climb, winner of a bunch sprint, destroy the field in a time trial or be first home after a tough sportive. Sadly you cannot ride above your threshold for very long, but the good news is that by using our DVDs you can raise your threshold to new levels - making you faster on your bike.

We use cadence for several reasons. Firstly, there is no need to do any complicated tests to work out your average heart rate and watt zones. Many of you have busy lifestyles, so with cadence you can just jump straight on your trainer, knock out a session and feel the benefits right away.

Many of you will have experienced the following scenario before. Imagine arriving home from work after a busy day and you then have to jump on the turbo and ride a power-based or heart rate-based session. You get through your warm up without a problem. Then you are asked to ride at a given watt or heart rate output and you don’t get anywhere near the required numbers. Because you are mentally or physically fatigued (or both), you end up climbing off and end the session early feeling sorry for yourself.

With cadence-based training the situation is quite different. If you are tired after a hard day at work you can make it through the session by simply dropping down a few gears. OK - you won’t be doing the optimal work out, but at least you will finish the session and feel better for it. After time, you will be able to see improvement as your fitness levels rise.

What if I don't have a cadence computer?

Don’t worry there are many people out there who don’t have cadence on their turbo machine or bike computer. If this is the case, simply follow the riders in our DVD sessions and cycle at the same pedaling speed (cadence) as they do. You will soon learn how to recognise what RPM (revs per minute) rate you're pedaling at. All a computer will do is make the session more accurate and slightly easier to follow. If you want to get more serious, invest in a computer that will display your cadence.

You may also follow our RPE guides. This stands for rate of perceived exertion and it's measured on a scale of 1 to 10 - 1 being the easiest and 10 being very hard. You can find out more about the RPE scale here.

If riders such as Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh are suffering like mad in the video, how will I cope?

Quite simple, this one - the pro riders are using bigger gears. You all ride at the same cadence but your fitness levels dictate the gears you use. The pro riders will be spinning away on a 53-tooth chain ring and say a 14-tooth sprocket on the rear wheel, while you may be using a 39-front chain ring and 16-tooth rear sprocket. Put more simply, our sessions are as hard as you make them!

It's my first session, what gear should I use?

Firstly, you should watch the introduction video at the top of the page, then commence the session with the aim of getting through it in its entirety. We would suggest you use low gears to begin with - low enough to get to the end. Then next time you will be in a position to select the appropriate gears to achieve an optimal work out for your own fitness level.

I am new to cycling and not very fit - what if I run out of steam before the end?

Don’t worry about it, everyone has to start somewhere - including the professionals. Keep your gears low and aim to get as far through the session as possible. Then make a note of how far you got through the session, have a couple of days to recover, and jump back on your bike with the aim to improve in your next session. Keep using this method until you reach the end. Then give yourself a big pat on the back!

I have never ridden my bike at such high cadences. I usually ride at a low cadence - why is riding at a higher cadence better for you?

Riding big gears at low cadence will put a lot of stress on the legs and result in a quicker build up of lactate acid, which in turn will slow you down abruptly. By riding with a high cadence the stress is put on your breathing and heart rate rather than your legs. This is less detrimental to your performance than a build up of lactate acid caused by using those bigger gears.

I found it too easy, even on big gears - do you think I could be the next Mark Cavendish?

Yes, you may well be the next Mark Cavendish. However, it is more likely that the resistance on your turbo trainer is set too low or your wheel is not making good contact on the machine!

How should I ride the turbo when I'm climbing?

No - don’t put your turbo on the stairs! Say you are asked to ride at a cadence of 80 RPMs as you hit a climb in one of our sessions. All you have to do is click up a couple of gears so your legs feel more resistance - this will produce a good simulation of climbing.

Should I get out of the saddle when sprinting on a turbo?

No – you should always stay seated on the turbo during sprint efforts. Concentrate on getting the power though the legs.

Should I use my time trial bike on the turbo?

Yes – absolutely. This will help your body get used to the correct time trialing position and every little bit helps.

Why are warm ups and warm downs so long?

Warm up - It is important to warm up correctly to prepare your body for the increased energy demands that you are about to place it under. It is important to warm up for all activities as this will reduce the risk of injury, help stretch the muscles/ligaments/connective tissues, improve the body’s efficiency and it can also improve your performance levels in the early part of a workout. It is also said that a good warm up prepares you mentally and physically, which in turn improves your performance.

Warm down - A warm down is just as important as a warm up. A good warm down consists of pedaling in a gentle or rhythmic fashion until the body returns to a near resting state. This will help to remove the excess fluids that build up in the muscles such as blood and lactate acid. By doing this you will reduce stiffness and soreness in the body, which will lead to a quicker recovery.

Why have a ladies specific video?

The ladies session is based on our road race DVD but has been specifically designed to compliment the needs of female riders. Do not be deterred though, ladies! You can also use any of our other sessions. Same goes for the men out there - you can still benefit from doing the ladies session.

How often should I use the sessions?

This depends on your situation and what your goals are. You could be a racing cyclist and use the sessions to boost your lactate threshold, improve your sprinting or time trialing, for example. You may wish to use the DVD to avoid riding on busy roads or simply to keep fit.

Can I listen to my own music when using 3LC training sessions?

Of course you can - simply turn the volume down on your DVD player, tune into your favourite beat and follow the on-screen graphical instructions.

Where can i find out about your shipping and returns policy?

Click here to view our shipping and returns policy.

Is there anywhere I can find out more about the Manx riders and trainers?

They're all pretty cool aren't they!? Sure, click here to view our Rider/Trainer profile page.

Watch the 'experts' explain how to use the videos

Please watch a short video with Tim and Bubs at the top of the page - they will explain how our sessions work.

Shipping & Returns Policy

View our Shipping & Returns Policy here

If you still need help, please complete the form below and we’ll be happy to assist. If you require structured personal training, please click on the 3LC Coaching tab at the top of the page.